Love in the Unlikeliest Place
by Hank's Lady
Summary: In American Pie style, 5 friends plan to lose their virginity at the Graduation Party, but Edward dreads it as he fears his friends will discover the secret he has been keeping - he's gay! Written for the "First Time Fumbles Twilight Fanfic Contest", voted Best Non-Canon and the favourite of two judges, plus second place judges vote.


**A/N This is a one-shot I wrote for the "First Time Fumbles Twilight Fanfic Contest". The results were posted last night and I'm delighted to find that I got the "Best Non-Canon Award", my story was the favourite of two judges and I also got the second place judges score! :D**

**The contest was anonymous and stories couldn't be posted on the author's profiles until now, so without further ado, here is my first Edward/Emmett story, "Love in the Unlikeliest Place".**

Only four weeks to Graduation and I was dreading it. I wasn't dreading the ceremony itself, but it was the party afterward I wasn't looking forward to. My best friend, Jasper, had suggested that we and our other three close friends should aim to lose our virginity at the party and I was terrified at the prospect, knowing it wasn't going to happen for me. I was actually surprised that Jasper hadn't lost his already.

He and I were on the track team at school and when my parents and I moved into Forks two years before, Jasper and I had hit it off immediately. Both of us were long and lean and built for running and he was new to the area too, but other than those minor similarities, he was everything I wasn't. He was tanned and beautiful, with blond curls, blue eyes and a southern drawl. His parents had divorced and his mother brought him to Forks to stay with her sister while the dust settled. Jasper was always hellbent on going back to Texas at the first opportunity, but in the end he just never left.

He was outgoing and popular with both the guys and the girls and in no time he had collected a group of friends consisting of those that most other students, including me, thought were out of their league. Jake and Paul were Natives from the nearby Reservation of La Push. Their parents had pushed them to leave the Res school, thinking they would have a better chance of playing football professionally if they could get their educations at Forks. Both were caramel-skinned and brown-eyed with shiny black hair, bright white smiles and muscles. The pair of them were good-looking and popular and if Jasper hadn't enticed them to hang out with us, I'd probably never have spoken to either of them in the two years we went to school together.

The fifth member of our group was Emmett McCarty. He was the football team leader, the guy that everyone wanted to be, or be ___with__. _He was huge, a couple inches taller than me and he made Jake and Paul look puny. His arms and shoulders were massive, pecs bulging, a set of eight perfect abs beneath and thighs like tree trunks. He had dark hair and twinkling blue eyes, a perpetual smile on his face and an enormous sense of humour. Every time I looked at him my dick got hard and for that reason, being his friend was incredibly difficult.

I looked at myself in my mirror with a sigh. I was too pale, but I thought my body was okay. My friends were all smooth-chested while mine had hair. I'd considered waxing it off to look like them, but Jasper had laughed and told me he'd have given anything to have more than the half dozen whiskers around his nipples and that I should keep it - some girls liked hairy chests.

Besides the hair, I was well-toned and didn't have any complaints about my body. My legs were strong from running, my six-pack was visible, biceps showing well enough when I flexed my arms although they looked like boiled eggs compared to Emmett's. I had green eyes which Jasper said were pretty and I laughed it off many times, punching him in the arm and telling him not to talk like a fag, when inside I was cringing and hoping he would never guess. I had thought I would tell him after Graduation and then if he didn't want to know me any more, I would be leaving for college anyway and it wouldn't matter, although the thought of losing him as a friend hurt. I just couldn't imagine those four beautiful heterosexual guys continuing to accept me if they knew.

I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed again. I hated my hair - another characteristic that Jasper said was attractive. It was a mixture of brown and blond and a strange shade of bronze and no matter how often I had it cut and however much gel I applied, it did its own thing and ended up looking like I'd been electrocuted.

My parents didn't know I was gay yet either. I'd considered telling them a number of times over the past few years, but in the end decided to wait until it was closer to me going away to college. I didn't think they would disapprove, but I expected disappointment and I was dreading the safe sex talk Dad would subject me to. I'd already had that when I was younger, but he'd been worrying about the risk of me getting a girl pregnant then. Whatever his views might be on me being gay, I knew he'd still talk to me about it and it would be even more mortifying than the first time.

I turned away from the mirror and reluctantly began to get ready for the double date I had agreed to. Jasper had finally picked one of the girls that flocked to him like bees around a honeypot and had encouraged me to choose one of the others. We had four weeks to take them out a few times and get them warmed up before the party, he said. It was easy for me to get one of them to date me - any of them would probably have said yes, because being my date would mean an evening out with Jasper at the same time. I didn't consider that Jessica could actually like me for myself. She was Alice Brandon's friend - the petite brunette Jasper had gone for. The four of us were going to the movies in Port Angeles and then to get some food afterwards. I had offered to drive, knowing that if my hands were busy on the steering wheel, I wouldn't be expected to do anything else with them.

The evening itself turned out to be good fun. Although Alice and Jessica chose a chick-flick, it was a comedy and both Jasper and I enjoyed it too. We went to a pizza restaurant afterward and Jasper and I went halves on the bill. It was as we headed back to the car that Jessica suddenly slid her hand into mine and walked closer to me, a few yards behind the other couple. Jasper's arm was around Alice and he kept bending to brush his lips against her cheek and whisper things to her, making her giggle. After a minute or two, her arm crept around his waist and she tucked her hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

"Did you like the movie?" Jessica asked.

"Yes, it was good," I agreed.

"I wasn't sure if you'd like comedies."

"Why, don't you think I have a sense of humour?"

"You just seem a little serious, Edward. You don't smile that much at school and you keep to yourself a lot."

I knew she was right. Even though I was part of the most popular group in school, I still hung back most of the time. "I just have a lot on my mind, with Graduation and college and everything," I said.

Her hand squeezed mine and her thigh brushed against my leg as we walked. "Which college are you planning to go to?"

"Columbia," I answered.

"Really? Chicago's so far away. Wouldn't you rather go to Seattle?"

"I would have, but Columbia has the best course for what I want to study." Finally something I could talk about confidently. I told her about my plans for working with computers and possibly running my own business, writing programmes or designing games in the future. I usually bored people to tears with talk of my career, but she seemed to be hanging off my every word and prompted me with further questions, even after we got into the car and set off back to Forks. She sat half turned toward me in the front seat until I ran out of things to say and then she began telling me that Columbia probably would have been better for her because she wanted to study art and fashion, but her parents didn't have much money and she'd had to get a place at the community college in Seattle.

As I listened, I glanced in the rearview mirror a couple of times, noticing Jasper and Alice already in each other's arms, kissing and cuddling and I thanked God that I had offered to drive. I couldn't imagine myself kissing Jessica like that, or putting my hands on her even for the sake of appearances. I began to wish I could just tell someone. Surely Jasper wouldn't stop being my friend if he knew I was gay? He was the nicest, most considerate and understanding person I knew. It wasn't as if I had the hots for ___him_.

"Edward!" Jessica shrieked suddenly and I gripped the wheel tighter and swerved the car back into the right lane as a truck thundered toward us, honking loudly.

"Ed, are you okay?" Jasper asked from behind me.

"Yes. Sorry, guys. I just got distracted there for a minute," I gasped.

"Jess, what are you doing to him?" Alice teased. "Keep your hands to yourself until we park up."

Jessica giggled loudly. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Yeah, right." Alice laughed too and then settled back into Jasper's arms.

I continued to drive, gritting my teeth and concentrating determinedly on the road. I had to tell him. This evening hadn't been that bad, but I knew I was expected to kiss her when we said goodnight and I would have to carry on this charade for another four weeks. She was going to want more than kisses, or at least the guys would expect me to get more than kisses. How the hell was I going to keep up the pretense? There was absolutely no point. Nothing was going to happen at the party anyway. I would probably spend the whole night locked in my room, listening to everyone else enjoy it. It was just unfortunate that my parents had the most money and therefore the biggest house, along with the most trusting attitude, so it was down to me to hold the party. Mom and Dad were planning to spend the night in Port Angeles rather than breathe down our necks and for once, I wished they weren't so accommodating. If only they were strict and protective and didn't want to risk people sleeping in their bed, throwing up on the carpets or breaking things, I wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Edward, what's wrong?" Jessica touched my arm. "You're miles away."

"Sorry, I'm just a bit tired," I lied. I was anything but tired. My heart was pounding and my stomach tying itself in knots as I considered the options open to me. Kiss Jessica and keep up the act or blow her off and tell Jasper the truth.

Eventually we reached Alice's house and I parked up outside, waiting while Jasper walked her to the door. I didn't watch, knowing he would be kissing her on the doorstep. Jessica apparently didn't watch either, but instead leaned toward me and touched my face.

"We have a few minutes before he comes back," she said.

"Well...uh... I shouldn't get distracted, I still have to drive you and Jas home," I muttered.

Jessica giggled, the sound which I had heard repeatedly all night beginning to irritate me. I couldn't do this - not for another four weeks. "You'll just have to walk me to my door, then."

Mercifully Jasper returned a moment later and I started the car again and drove the few hundred yards to Jessica's house. As soon as I got out to walk her up the drive, she grabbed my hand and when we reached the porch, she turned and looked up at me through half-lowered lashes.

"So...um...thank you for tonight, Edward. It was nice."

"Good, I'm glad you had a good time," I said.

"Are you going to kiss me goodnight?" She leaned closer and I trembled, feeling my face turning red. Why did girls have to be so forward? And why was I such a coward? I put my hands on her shoulders and brushed my lips over hers, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to pretend she was a hot guy as she kissed me back with sudden determination and pressed her body against mine. Her mouth was soft and tasted of cherries and she smelled of an exotic perfume. Long silky hair brushed my face and it was completely impossible to imagine she was anything other than what she was. I jerked away and wiped my mouth on the back of my hand before I could stop myself.

"Uh...sorry...I should go. Don't want to keep Jasper waiting."

"Let him wait. We had to sit in the car while he played tonsil hockey with Alice," she smirked.

"Sorry, Jess...I really...uh...have to go," I stammered, backing away until I almost stumbled down the porch steps. "I'll see you at school Monday," I called over my shoulder and walked quickly back to the car, my whole body shaking. As soon as I was behind the wheel, I started the engine and pulled the car out into the road, forgetting to look each way first. Luckily there was no other traffic around and I clutched the wheel until my knuckles turned white, struggling to remember where Jasper's house was, despite me having visited him countless times. He was sitting up front beside me now and he reached out and gave my shoulder a push.

"Ed, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"You don't like Jess?"

"She's...uh...she's okay. She's not really...my type."

"Alice has got plenty of other friends. It's only for a few weeks anyway, what does it matter? You don't want to miss out, do you? I know for a fact that Jake's in with Bella and Emmett's going after the head cheerleader, Rosalie Hale. Good luck to him!" He laughed loudly. "She's stunning, but she's a witch. Paul asked one of Jake's sisters on a date - I mean, seriously? If he actually goes ahead with it, Jake will castrate him, but I don't know...he says he really likes her."

"I don't really see why it's so important," I ventured. "If Paul likes Rachel, then it doesn't matter if he doesn't sleep with her at the party. It shouldn't be about a competition."

"You having second thoughts?" Jasper frowned. "I thought you were up for this."

"I am...I was...I mean...uh, Jas, I don't want to be under pressure to sleep with someone for the sake of not being the loser," I blurted. "Maybe I value it more than that. Maybe I want to be in a proper relationship first, not just using somebody."

"Wow. Why didn't you say anything before?" He turned to look at me as I parked the car outside his house. "You didn't have to be part of this, you know."

"I suppose I don't want to be a failure before the party even starts," I admitted, realising that I could possibly get out of it without having to tell him why.

"You wouldn't be. You're my best friend, Edward, that's not gonna change. The guys'll pull your leg, that's all. Fuck them. So, did you tell Jess you don't want to see her again?"

"No, but I will next time I see her," I said in relief. "I just...I want to get through Graduation and think about...uh...girls later."

"That's fair enough," Jasper nodded. "I'm kind of surprised, you know, after all those times we talked about first times and all, but I know how serious you are about school. I should probably take a leaf out of your book. I'm not worried about graduating, but I know I need to buckle down when I get to college or my mom will kick my ass."

"I'd love to see her try, your mom's tiny!" I laughed, immensely relieved by the way the conversation had gone.

"Yeah, and she's as tough as they come. Had to be, to deal with my dad."

"Yeah, I guess."

"So, are you gonna tell the other guys you're not in the contest?" he asked.

"Maybe not. Otherwise I'll have four weeks of them yanking my chain instead of just in the aftermath of the party."

"Okay, well, I won't breathe a word. You could make up some story to fool them, if you wanted. I don't know, one of your dad's friends has a daughter you like? Something like that? Then she can't make the party?"

"I'll think about it. Thanks, Jasper," I nodded.

He gave my shoulder another push. "You worry too much." He shoved the door open and slid out. "See you Monday."

"Yeah. Night, Jas."

He trotted up the drive to his house and I set off home, feeling something of a fool for not simply being honest with him at the beginning. At least I hadn't had to tell him I was gay yet, but hopefully when I did, he would be just as understanding as he had been about the contest.

I spent Sunday alone studying and drove to school Monday feeling a touch nervous about speaking to Jessica. However, it went much better than I expected. I told her that I'd decided it would be better not to get involved with someone when I would going to college two thousand miles away in a few months and that I would rather just be friends. She agreed immediately and told me that she'd been thinking about me going away to Chicago and didn't see how we could possibly carry on a relationship over that distance if it worked out between us beforehand. Immediately I relaxed and began to see her completely differently. As a friend, she was funny, bright and bubbly and not half as affected as she had been when she'd been trying to impress me. She even agreed to come to the party as my 'date' just so that neither of us would be alone in the crowd of couples.

I had one class with Jasper before lunch and told him how things went and he responded by regaling me with the hours he'd spent with Alice on Sunday, sniggering and whispering in my ear that she was 'up for it' and he'd probably not be waiting until the party to pop her cherry. I hadn't seen the other guys since the date on Saturday night and I knew it was unlikely that I'd see Jake and Paul until the following day, when they would be playing football and Jasper and I would be running. Emmett, however, had a class with me that afternoon. I wondered what, if anything, I should tell him and I found the prospect of talking to him more nerve-wracking that I expected. He wouldn't understand - I knew he wouldn't. He'd think I should be just as desperate as the rest of them to get into some girl's panties and he'd probably think there was something wrong with me for pulling out of the competition. I had almost decided on the suggestion Jasper had given me, which was to invent some girl that didn't go to Forks High, just so that he wouldn't think I was weird.

"Ed!" Emmett's huge hand clapped down on my shoulder as I sat in the yard thinking about it and waiting for the bell to ring to announce the next class. I jumped and glanced at him as he sat down on the bench next to me.

"Hey."

"How was the date? Thought you'd've been with Jess today. Jasp's hanging around Alice like a bad smell," he snorted.

"Yeah, well, Jess and me...we're just friends," I said.

"I thought you liked her. Didn't she like you?"

"Yes, just...not like that."

"Shame. You want me to fix you up with someone? Rose has got this really hot friend you'd like - a redhead. She doesn't have a date for the party so..."

"No thanks," I interrupted.

"Got someone else in mind?"

"No, Emmett, I'm...uh...I decided it'd be better to not get involved with someone right now. I'm going away in the fall. Chicago's a long way."

"Yeah, I guess. What about the contest, though?"

"Fuck the contest," I grumbled. "It's not that important. I guess I can take you and the other guys laughing your asses off at me for being the only virgin left in the group."

"I wouldn't do that," Emmett said, straight-faced. "Don't do something you don't want to do just to keep up with the rest of them - us."

I frowned at his curious choice of words which he'd quickly corrected. "How's it going with Rosalie?" I asked.

"Well, she agreed to a date Friday," he shrugged. "Not sure where I'm gonna take her. She won't settle for half measures and I don't have much money."

"I could lend you some if you want," I offered. "There's that new Thai restaurant in PA, she'd probably like that."

"Thanks, Edward, but you don't have to do that." Emmett shook his head and sighed heavily. "I'll think of something else."

"You could invite her to watch you play football as a guest instead of a cheerleader and take her for fried chicken after," I teased.

"Yeah, that'd go down well," he grinned.

"She sounds high maintenance," I said casually.

"Yeah, you're not wrong. Must be out of my mind."

"You like her, though, right?"

"Yeah. Who wouldn't? I guess it's expected - team captain gets the head cheerleader. That's if she'll let me near her. You and me might both end up in the same boat." He gave me a wry grin and got up just as the bell rang. "Better get to class."

I was puzzled by some of the things Emmett had said to me. It almost sounded as if he were planning to date Rosalie because it was expected of him, and not only because of the stupid contest. It was true that the head cheerleader usually ended up at least having a bit of fun with the captain of the football team, but Emmett seemed to feel that it was a lot of hard work, possibly for something he didn't really want and I didn't get it. I couldn't appreciate Rosalie the way a straight guy would, but I could look at her objectively and see a beautiful face with gorgeous silky blonde hair, a stunning figure with curves in all the right places and endlessly long legs, as well as the person inside that was interested in much more than clothes and makeup and chick flicks. Most guys would fall over themselves to get a date with her, despite her reputation for being bitchy and difficult to please, but Emmett didn't seem that way at all.

I glanced sideways at him as we sat in our math class, his huge hand wrapped around a pencil, doodling in his notebook rather than working out the algebra problems we'd been set. He was wearing a too-tight long sleeved t-shirt that only emphasised the muscles in his arms and shoulders. He was hunched over the desk right now, but when he sat up straight his pecs were clearly visible and the jeans he had on that day hugged his huge thighs and firm butt.

I tore my eyes away and tried to concentrate on my work, grimacing at the feel of my erection pushing against my zipper. I didn't know why I kept doing this to myself. He was my friend, he was straight, and he'd be horrified if he knew that the sight of him gave me a boner. My face heated up and I dropped my head into my hand, glasses sliding down my nose.

"Edward!" he hissed suddenly and nudged me with his elbow.

"What?"

"I'm never gonna get this fucking algebra shit. Can I study with you after school?"

"Yeah, of course," I said at once, rubbing my warm face. "Did you walk here?"

"Yeah."

"Come back with me then."

"Mr Cullen and Mr McCarty, is there something more interesting than algebra that you'd like to share with us?" Mr Varner demanded suddenly. A number of other students snickered.

"No, Sir," I answered quickly. Emmett shook his head.

"Then pay attention to your work, please."

I did as requested, although it was a struggle to think about anything other than spending the next few hours with Emmett at my place. The rest of the class passed slowly and when the bell rang, Emmett accompanied me out to my car. We ran into Jasper and Alice in the parking lot and talked for a few minutes before heading out of Forks to my house. My father would be at the hospital for some hours yet, and Mom had left me a note on the kitchen counter to tell me I could help myself to dinner as she had gone to visit a friend in PA and wouldn't be back until late.

"You want anything to eat or drink?" I asked Emmett.

"Beer if you've got it," he deadpanned.

"Em.."

"Joking, buddy, I'll have juice or soda, whatever. We studying down here or in your room?"

"Uh...upstairs, I guess, in case we need the computer."

Emmett took off, charging up the stairs two at a time while I poured out two glasses of juice and followed slowly. When I reached my room, he was sprawling face down on my bed, chin resting in one hand. My mouth went dry and I sat down quickly on the swivel chair in front of the computer desk, then passed him one of the glasses. He gulped half of it and put it down next to the bed.

"You're lucky having a double bed," he said. "Bit of a waste though, if you're not gonna make use of it at the party."

"You're not borrowing my bed to screw Rosalie!" I snapped suddenly. "We have six guest rooms."

"I didn't mean that, Edward, chill out." He rolled over and sat up, crossing his legs in front of him. His jeans stretched tighter around his thighs and I noticed he was wearing blue and yellow striped socks. "Probably won't happen anyway."

"Not if you don't spoil her well enough beforehand," I said.

"Edward...is there another reason why you ditched Jessica?" he asked, not looking at me.

"Why, is not wanting to get involved right before I go away to Chicago not good enough? Or the fact that I don't want to be under pressure to sleep with some girl just to look good in front of my friends, when I'd rather be in a proper relationship first?"

"Is it the truth?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, feeling panicked. Had he guessed? Had he seen me looking at him? Had someone else said something? I turned away and switched the computer on just for something to do, relieved that my face felt as if it had lost all its colour rather than turning red.

"Okay. I just wondered if...there was any other reason. You know like...maybe you like somebody else."

"Like who?"

"Uh...I don't know...maybe somebody that you don't want anyone to know about because you think they wouldn't like it."

"What do you mean?" My heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it might burst out of my chest and my mouth was dry with anxiety. At least I didn't have to worry about trying to suppress a hard-on, because right then, my cock was shrivelled with fear that he had guessed.

"You'll be pissed if I say this and I'm wrong."

"Why would I be pissed?" My voice shook and I considered picking up my drink so that I'd have something else to do with my hands, but I thought I might spill it. Instead I folded my arms and tucked my hands into my armpits.

"Are you gay, Edward?"

For a moment I felt as if all the breath had been sucked out of me and I gaped helplessly, eyes wide, and snatched my glasses off my face. He knew! He'd seen me looking at him, probably with my tongue practically hanging out of my mouth. For a moment I thought I might pass out, but my face was burning and I had to say something - anything. I went for outrage.

"Why the fuck would you say something like that?" I demanded. "You think I'm a fag, just because I don't want to fuck a girl to win a stupid contest?" I leapt to my feet, fists clenched at my sides. "Do the other guys think the same? Are you all talking about me behind my back, wondering how Gay Cullen is going to lose his...?"

"Woah, Edward, no one's talking about you!" Emmett jumped up and raised his hands toward me, then dropped them to his sides as if he didn't want to touch me. "I was just asking. I don't have a problem with it...if you are...I mean, I just...I wondered, because..." His voice trailed off and when I risked a glance up at his face, I noticed that it was as red as mine felt. I hung my head, mortified to find that I was near tears. I was almost tempted to just blurt it out, but my mouth seemed incapable of uttering anything except the word 'fuck'.

"Maybe you could just tell me the truth?" Emmett ventured, barely above a whisper.

"Why? What does it matter?" I asked miserably, blinking rapidly and praying that I wasn't going to cry in front of him.

"Because..." He broke off with a groan. "Okay, here goes. I didn't plan to do this, but what the hell. I'm...uh...I'm..." He stopped again and raked his fingers through his hair the way I might have done. Then he took a deep breath and continued a touch more steadily. "I'm...uh...I'm gay and I thought...I hoped...that maybe those looks you keep giving me meant that you are too and that even if you don't...like me like that we could at least have each other to confide in and then it wouldn't be so fucking hard to keep trying to fool everyone."

I lifted my eyes to his face, my mouth gaping open. He looked like I felt. His face was anxious - fearful almost - and he was chewing his lip so hard that he was in danger of tearing it. His blue eyes were wide and darting about trying to avoid my face and his cheeks flamed.

"Emmett...I...uh...I..." I stammered. "I never would have guessed."

"Well, thank fuck for that! I don't want the whole fucking school finding out!" He laughed awkwardly. "I...uh...so? Did I get it totally wrong, or...?"

I shook my head slowly, relief flooding through me. I had someone to confide in who really would understand. "I'm gay," I said. It was the first time I'd ever said it out loud and I continued quickly. "I've known for years. Since puberty really. I just...I thought if I could get through school it wouldn't be so hard to let people know when I go to college. Kids can be cruel, but maybe..."

"There are always gonna be a few jerks whether it's here or in college or even after that," Emmett said, looking enormously relieved. He sank back onto the edge of my bed again and rested his hands on his knees. "I've always dated girls, but never gone further than kissing them. It's not horrible...I mean, it doesn't bother me having to pretend, but they just don't do anything for me."

"I suppose that's the same for me." I sat down on the chair again before my legs gave way. They felt weak with relief although I was still struggling with the knowledge that Emmett, of all people, was gay.

"You know what you said about not wanting to bother seeing anyone before you go away to college?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes?"

"Was that part true?"

"Kind of. If I met someone here, I don't suppose it would last when I'm two thousand miles away."

"How about if it was someone who's planning on going to college not that far away? I mean...you know I'm hoping to go to Ann Arbor, right? I applied for a scholarship there."

"What are you saying?" I asked, my heart hammering again, this time with sudden excitement.

"Fuck, this is harder than I thought." He laughed again a little shakily. "I like you. I thought maybe...we could hang out...or something...see what happens...if you want to. If it turned out that we...uh...wanted to see each other...well, there's only a couple of hundred miles between Ann Arbor and...uh...Columbia." He stopped and cleared his throat. "It's a stupid idea. Look...I'm just gonna...uh...go home and try to get my head around this fucking algebra." He stood up again and grabbed his bookbag. "You won't tell anyone about this, will you? Sorry, of course you won't...um..." He looked at me helplessly and I felt my face split into a smile. Who would have thought that Emmett, aside from turning out to be gay, would display such an incredible lack of confidence? I found it oddly endearing.

"I'd love to," I said. "Hang out, I mean and...uh...see what happens? You weren't mistaken, by the way, I was...um...looking." I felt myself blush vividly as I admitted it, but I determinedly kept my eyes on his face.

"Really? So you...uh...like me, then?" he queried.

"Yes, I like you. I have done since I moved here and I was fucking terrified you'd notice or that someone else would."

"Yeah, well, I did notice, but only in the last few weeks."

"What are you going to do about Rosalie?" I asked him.

"Um...I don't know. Blow her off, I guess."

"The other guys will think it's weird if both of us suddenly pull out of the contest," I reasoned.

"Yeah, but it's not like I'm gonna be in it until the end. I would have dated her until the party and then come up with some excuse, like I was sick or something."

"You could still do that," I suggested. "Then nobody would say anything."

"You'd still be cool with me taking her out?" he said in surprise and I shrugged.

"It's not as if you're going to be doing anything." I realised that I wouldn't care if he took Rose out every night of the week if I knew it was really me he wanted and that there was a chance he would want to be with me when we went away to college where no one knew us.

"Okay...cool...uh..." He rubbed a hand over his face and laughed awkwardly. I had never seen him at such a loss about what to do or say and I came to the rescue quickly.

"We should probably study for a while. You won't get the scholarship if you fail math and the exam is next week."

"Yeah." He reached for his bag and I picked up my own books, my heart still racing. Emmett wanted to date me? I wanted to pinch myself and it was all I could do to keep the grin off my face and think about algebra instead.

I went to sit next to him on the bed, explaining how to work out the problems we'd been set and he copied and asked questions. Every so often his elbow bumped mine as he moved and I was much too aware that there were just inches between us. I felt hot and it seemed as if there wasn't enough air in the room, but I knew it was just nervous excitement. My pants were beginning to feel tight and I couldn't stop myself from glancing at Emmett's crotch a few times. It was impossible to tell whether he was in any way aroused - his jeans were so tight that they would have restricted any movement, but he did look hot and flushed. Once or twice he rubbed the back of his neck and I noticed that his short-cropped hair was a little damp.

After half an hour or so, I excused myself to fetch more drinks, just so that I could have a couple of minutes to collect myself. I turned on the cold water in the kitchen and rinsed my hands and face, then stood there leaning against the edge of the sink and staring out of the window, my heart racing and my cock straining against my clothes. My balls ached and I almost couldn't wait for Emmett to leave so that I could deal with it. It wouldn't be the first time I'd masturbated with him in my head, but this time I would be able to imagine him touching me without it being so far from reality.

"Edward?" A hand touched my shoulder and I almost jumped out of my skin, wondering just how long I'd been standing there. I turned around slowly to face him, fixing my gaze on the stubble along his jaw so that I didn't have to meet his eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I was...um...I..." I stuttered. He was standing so close to me that I could barely breathe and when he suddenly wiped his hands on the legs of his jeans, I realised he was still as nervous as I was. I licked my lips, wishing I had the guts to kiss him and get it over with. The tension between us was almost painful, but I didn't know if he would want me to kiss him or if it was too soon or if...

His lips brushed over mine suddenly, a tentative touch before he drew back and stared intently at my face. Slowly I let out the breath I'd been holding and raised my eyes until they eventually met his anxious blue ones.

"I...uh...I don't really know how to act around you any more," he said. "Is this okay? If I kiss you?"

"Yes," I whispered. My hands were shaking, my chest felt as if it were vibrating from the frantic beat of my heart and my blood seemed to be rushing in my ears. I lowered my eyes to the broad chest in front of me and noticed it rising and falling rapidly. Then one large hand lifted to my face, cupping my chin to tilt my head back so that his lips could meet mine. I let my eyes close and parted my lips so that they fit together with his and again I stopped breathing. His lips were soft but firm and I could feel the graze of stubble against my skin and warm air as he breathed out through his nose. I uncurled my fists and tentatively lifted them until they came into contact with the hard muscular body in front of me, resting them temporarily on his sides and then slipping them around to his back. The tight shirt felt damp over his spine and I moaned a little as I felt his arms slide around me. Our lips continued to cling together, caressing softly, the tip of his tongue occasionally teasing the underside of my upper lip although it didn't enter my mouth. My cock throbbed urgently in my pants and I could feel a damp patch forming in my underwear. My body rested lightly against Emmett's and I knew he must have been able to feel how hard I was. My cock was pushing against the top of his thigh and I moved a little, intending to pull my lower body away, but succeeded only in rubbing myself against him and encountering his own erection where it lay at an angle pointing at his hip. I whimpered helplessly, digging my fingers into the hard muscles at the back of his shoulders and then his tongue plunged into my mouth, urgently seeking mine and toying with it while his arms held me tighter. His body pressed me back against the sink and gyrated slightly, his cock bumping mine through far too many layers of clothes.

He broke the kiss suddenly and when I opened my eyes I noticed his face was flushed, pupils dilated and he was panting quietly. He continued to hold onto me for a few more seconds before he let go and took a step back.

"Fuck..." He grinned suddenly and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "Not sure I'm gonna be able to think about algebra now."

"No, me neither." It was instinctive to want to shove my hands into my pockets to disguise my excitement, but there wasn't really much point. He was in the same state and I realised I didn't want to hide it from him. He ___wanted_me and I wanted him to know how much he affected me. Instead I picked up the two drinks I'd poured out a few minutes before and passed one to him. "Maybe we could do something else for a while. Do you want to watch a movie or something?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

We picked out an action movie and watched it in the games room. Gradually we relaxed with each other although I was too focused on every single move Emmett made to take much notice of the movie. We were only inches apart and I longed to close the gap between us, but didn't quite dare. It was Emmett who eventually changed his position, shuffled his butt further forward on the sofa cushion so that he slouched, knees spread wide to bring the left one into contact with my right. His hand rested on his thigh and after more hesitation it crossed the small gap to where mine lay and grasped it firmly. My heart thumped and I sat there in a state of bliss and frustrated arousal for the next forty minutes, still a little disbelieving that the boy I had fantasised about for two years was sitting beside me holding my hand, after admitting he was gay and kissing me. I didn't want the afternoon to end.

Unfortunately it was over all too quickly. The movie ended, Mom came home, Emmett became awkward and flushed as if he thought Mom would only have to look at him to know he'd kissed her son. He thanked me for helping him with the algebra and left for home, refusing my ride and saying he usually went running before supper. I returned to my room, telling Mom I needed to take a shower and tidy my room and once up there, I did what I'd been longing to do for hours. I jerked off in the shower, eyes closed, reliving Emmett's kisses and the feel of his body against mine, only this time I imagined we were naked and that I could feel everything. I came in barely more than a minute and then scrubbed myself quickly, dried off and put on some fresh clothes. It was only then that I thought to check my phone and much to my surprise, I had a text from Emmett. My first thought was that he regretted kissing me, he changed his mind and he found it easier to say it in a text. I opened it reluctantly, clenching my teeth as I read the words.

'Sorry I rushed off. Busy most of week with football and got to take the princess out Friday :( Can we do something Saturday? Let me know. E.'

I let my breath out with a rush in relief and quickly began to type a reply. 'Saturday sounds great, looking forward to it. See you in school. E.x.' I added the kiss and pressed 'send' before I could stop myself and then cursed, wondering if it was too much to put that in a text. I'd never done this before, with anyone and I had no clue how to behave. I suddenly dreaded seeing him at school with our other friends around, convinced that they would notice something was different. How could I be casual when I would be thinking about what it was like kissing him? My phone beeped again and I opened the message quickly.

'Great. See you tomorrow. x.'

I heaved a sigh of relief that the kiss was okay. Now I just had to get through four more days and an evening knowing he was out with Rosalie, before I could kiss him again in person.

The rest of the week crawled by. I barely saw Emmett except in math class. Often all of us would have lunch together, but the football team had extra practise so Emmett spent most of his time with Jake and Paul and some of the others, while I ate lunch with Jasper. He talked about Alice most of the time and when he wasn't talking about her, she and Jessica joined us so I didn't have to worry about him asking me any awkward questions. He had accepted that I wasn't part of the contest any more and now his focus was on getting close to Alice. He jokingly said to me a couple of times that once the party was over, he wouldn't bother seeing much of her, but the way he looked at her and acted around her told me otherwise. If I wasn't mistaken, God's gift to women was becoming smitten with the pixie and it amused me to watch him and later listen to her name drip off his tongue in almost every conversation.

Friday night, I stayed home alone. Jasper was taking Alice out, Paul and Jake were going on a double date with Rachel and Bella which I knew Jake had only agreed to because his sister bribed him with the threat of telling Bella about the contest. Rachel apparently overheard him on the phone talking to Jasper and was livid, but Paul had somehow managed to convince her that he didn't care about the competition and to prove it, would shun the party if she wanted rather than have her ditch him. She had agreed to give him a chance, but it was clear that despite Paul being the tough one in the group, it was Rachel who was in charge in the new relationship. At least that put Jake's mind at rest a little and Paul's decision made me feel better about my own situation. Jasper and Emmett were already saying he was 'pussy whipped' so no one was going to care what I did or didn't do.

I went to bed early and read a book for a while until my phone beeped at ten-thirty, a text from Emmett to tell me he was home already. I was delighted that he let me know and amused when he said that Rosalie didn't appreciate his efforts to 'woo' her, but had agreed to keep up the act until the party because she had her own friends to impress, all of them green with envy about Emmett. It seemed that all of us had some kind of ulterior motive, perhaps with the exception of Jasper and Alice and I had actually begun to view the party with less dread now, curious instead as to how it would all pan out.

I barely slept that night. I was both nervous and excited about seeing Emmett and I tossed and turned, unsure how to act with him, hoping nothing would go wrong, looking forward to kissing him. He had football training in the morning, but would be free after one o'clock and I had agreed to drive over to his place to pick him up. We were going to the beach, but not the local one where we might be seen. Ruby Beach was about forty miles south and it was unlikely we would run into anyone from school down there. I wasn't so sure about the wisdom of going somewhere with Emmett where we would spend time in only swim trunks, but this was a little different from the previous summer. It was just Emmett and me and it was less likely to be embarrassing if I got hard, when he would probably be in the same state.

I picked him up in my Volvo as planned and we stopped off on the way to get burgers after Emmett announced that he was starving after training. I hadn't eaten anything that day due to nerves and I realised I was hungry too. Surprisingly after the first ten minutes I found I had relaxed with him and was able to be myself - the self that I had hidden for two years. If I wanted to look at him for a few seconds too long I could do it and he would only smile at me and when my hand brushed his in the car, I didn't have to jerk away and panic that he'd think I was weird. By the time we reached the beach we were holding hands while I drove and he was telling me that he couldn't wait to get exams out of the way and be able to make proper plans. We would have the whole summer to do whatever we wanted, although we were going to have to continue the pretense around the other guys unless it got to the point where we wanted to be honest. It was early days of course - only our first date.

"I was planning to tell Jasper after the party," I admitted. "About me, I mean. I figured if I left it until then and he didn't want to know me any more, at least I'd be going away and..."

"Jasper's not like that," Emmett said at once. "You know him better than me, but from where I'm sitting, he'd be cool."

He was probably right, I thought. I'd spent so much time worrying about it over the months that despite knowing how understanding and caring Jasper was, I'd still worried that he would shun me. Now it seemed foolish to think that - he was my best friend and he wasn't going to turn his back on me for being gay. Paul and Jake were another matter, but we didn't even discuss them. I parked up at the beach with a bunch of other cars, hoping that we would be able to find somewhere to sit without everyone else breathing down our necks.

We swam first, leaving the rug and towels and bottles of water we'd brought out of reach of the waves. It was a warm day, but the sea was colder than it looked and we didn't stay in long. Shivering, we grabbed the towels and dried off, then gathered everything up and went looking for a place to sit out of sight, which we found among the sand dunes. This area was deserted and we spread out the rug and sprawled in the sun, me face down to disguise the beginnings of an erection although Emmett stretched out on his back next to me, hands behind his head, every muscle in his arms and shoulders and chest defined. He was smooth and tanned and my eyes continually drifted down his body, taking in every ridge of his abs, the narrow line of dark hair beneath his navel which disappeared into the very small blue swim trunks he was wearing.

"Damn, Edward," he muttered eventually. "Stop looking at me like that."

"I'm sorry." Mortified, I turned my face away and buried it in my arms. My cock throbbed beneath me as I felt heat spreading across my face and onto my neck.

"I was joking." He rolled over onto his side facing me and a large hand came to rest on my back. "It's making me horny and I'm not used to feeling like this with you. Well, I am, but not with you knowing about it." He chortled softly and nudged me with his knee. "Fuck, I keep wanting to touch you and I'm not sure if I should or not."

"No one's around," I said, embarrassment fading. I glanced at him again, immediately noticing that the impressive bulge in the too tight shorts was significantly larger than it had been a minute before. His thick cock was rigid, the tip trying to push the fabric away from his body and my mouth watered. My own erection was squashed beneath me, aching to be touched and I wondered if he meant he wanted to touch ___it, _when he said he wanted to touch ___me. _I turned onto my side too, hoping that someone wouldn't suddenly decide to walk by this way and thinking it was worth the risk.

Emmett's arm snaked around me and tugged me closer and suddenly his hard cock was pressing against mine and our lips were crushed together, tongues straining into each other's mouths and teeth bumping with urgency. I moaned into his mouth, holding onto him tight, trembling when his hand slid down my back to my butt and squeezed. I squirmed helplessly against him, desperate for a little friction, and he tore his mouth from mine with a groan, pressing his lips to my neck instead. I felt a wet touch on my belly and realised the tip of his cock had escaped the tiny swim trunks and was leaking onto my skin and I fought determinedly against losing control.

"Can I touch you?" Emmett whispered in my ear. His hand was still on my ass and I choked out a breathless grunt of assent, clutching at his back as his hand quickly slid over my hip and between us, gliding slowly over the smooth fabric of my shorts and tracing the shape of my cock. I lay there trembling, unsure whether to touch him in return or not. He had moved his body a few inches away so that his hand could move unhindered and the feel of it stroking me through my swim trunks was pushing me perilously close to orgasm. I glanced down and watched in fascination as his thumb rubbed the head of my cock for a moment and then cupped me, palming my length and nudging my balls.

"Oh, fuck," I groaned. I was going to lose it. My balls were tight against my body, my erection throbbing urgently under his hand, still trapped in the tight shorts. Then suddenly he took his hand off and slid a finger into the top of the garment, pulling it out and down, freeing me before his hand wrapped around me and stroked slowly. I whimpered and closed my eyes, my whole body shaking as he pumped me once, twice, three times. My cock pulsed and emptied in thick spurts, coating Emmett's hand and dribbling onto the rug beneath us.

"Fuck, that was hot," he murmured and laughed quietly. He released me and wiped his hand on the rug and I opened my eyes, avoiding his and staring down his body instead. Two or three inches of his erection were visible now, the head swollen and red and leaking precum. I hesitated a moment and then cautiously ran my forefinger over his tip. He moaned appreciatively and then suddenly shoved his swim trunks down to the tops of his thighs, exposing himself completely. My eyes widened as I looked at him. For two years I had carefully avoided being in the showers at school when he was in there so I'd never seen him naked. His cock was long and thick, curving slightly towards his belly, the crown a perfect shape and just the right size to fit in my mouth - some day - I thought. His balls were firm and tight, pubic hair almost black and neatly trimmed. I curled my fingers around him, feeling him throb against my palm and he groaned again, bucking his hips forward and thrusting into my hand.

It didn't take him much longer than it had me. I pumped him slowly at first, stroking my thumb over his tip on each upstroke and spreading precum down his shaft, cupping his balls in my free hand and caressing gently. His hips jerked as he attempted to fuck my fist and I gripped tighter and stroked faster. I glanced up briefly and noticed his teeth biting into his lip, eyes closed, and then I just looked at what I was doing, watching him pulse in my hand and shoot thick strings of cum onto his own belly and my fingers. I reluctantly released him and wiped my hand clean.

"Holy fucking hell," he panted, opening his eyes to meet mine and then quickly pulling his swim trunks back up over his softening cock.

"Was it okay?"

"It was amazing, Edward. I've been thinking about you doing that all week...hoping you might want to."

I grinned and blushed. "Me too."

Things were a little awkward between us for a while. Neither of us knew what to say and eventually we packed up and went back to the car, deciding to find somewhere to get snacks and drinks. Ten minutes passed and then we relaxed again and began talking. We made plans for the next weekend, both expressing that we wished we could see each other during the week. With exams starting Monday, there was no real reason for us to be studying together and it would seem strange to the others if suddenly we were hanging out together after school. We never did that unless the others were around so for the moment, Saturdays would have to be our day.

It was several hours before I drove Emmett home, parking up a couple miles away first so that we could spend a few minutes kissing before we said goodbye normally outside his house. I drove home with a huge grin on my face and another erection straining against my clothes, my mind filled with Emmett and how we had jerked each other off on the beach.

The exams lasted for two weeks. I was never particularly concerned about them - I had always worked hard and gotten top grades and I didn't crumble under the pressure of exams like some kids did. I was happy with my performance in all of them and felt somewhat smug when I listened to the other guys complain afterward about how they fucked up on this question or that and how they dreaded getting the results.

I saw Emmett each Saturday, going out of town to different places where we could be together without being seen and when there was no secluded beach or other place, we would park the car somewhere out of sight and kiss and jerk off. I had even tried giving Emmett a blow job the last time and been delighted that I managed to do it without gagging. I took only a couple of inches of his impressive length in my mouth, working the remainder with my hand, swallowing his load when he came. His loud groans and plethora of curses told me he had no complaints and he promised to return the favour soon.

In those few short weeks I fell for Emmett rapidly and was delighted that he seemed to return my feelings. We didn't see much of each other, but it was unusual for a day to pass without us exchanging a few texts and he had begun calling me late in the evening from his room, telling me he couldn't wait for us to be together again and how much he loved touching me and having my hands on him. Somehow we managed to behave normally in front of everyone else and now that school was out with only the graduation ceremony left to attend, we were able to find more time to be together, although it wasn't easy with Jasper and the others wanting to arrange things to do as a group, girls included. Jessica and I would hang out together during these times and on one occasion Rosalie deigned to join in although it was obvious to me that she and Emmett were awkward with each other. There was no friendly sense of fun between them as there was between Jessica and me and I wondered if the other guys noticed it.

There was no longer any awkwardness between Emmett and me. My usual shyness had vanished rapidly when I saw how lacking in confidence he was at the beginning, but by the second Saturday we spent together, we were talking about anything and everything, completely at ease with each other, even in the aftermath of our sexual explorations. We had talked about actually having sex and Emmett had made it clear enough he wanted to fuck me, but he was scared of hurting me and thought we should take our time. He hadn't even touched my ass yet and I wasn't in any rush either. I loved being with him and if all we did for the time being was jerk off, it was enough.

Despite some of the guys' fears about their exam results, all of us graduated with the grades we wanted and at last would be able to make concrete plans for our chosen colleges in the fall. In the meantime, there was the party. Mom and Dad had stocked up on suitable party food and soft drinks, taken up the carpet in one of the living rooms so that people could dance and then gone away for the night, leaving their bedroom door firmly locked. The house was decorated with balloons and fancy lights and I had music playing as I waited for the guests to arrive. I was still nervous about it, but not dreading it anywhere near as much as I had been a month before. All the guys knew I wasn't planning on being part of the contest and Paul had sheepishly agreed that he wasn't either. Rachel was too important to him and although he wasn't too concerned what Jake thought, he respected Rachel and didn't plan on making her part of the competition.

Jessica, Bella and Alice all arrived together, the first over the doorstep, dropped off by Bella's dad. Not far behind them were Jasper and Paul and then Jake and Rachel turned up together. By the time an hour had passed, the house was crowded and I was managing to play host well enough, helped by Jessica who behaved as if she were my date. I was reasonably relaxed about it all, although Emmett and Rosalie hadn't yet arrived and I knew that when they did I would struggle to keep my eyes off him.

"Emmett and Rose are here," someone said loudly at that moment and my heart lurched in my chest. I greeted them the same way I'd greeted everyone else who arrived, forcing myself not to stare too long at Emmett, who was looking mouthwatering in a blue shirt that matched his eyes and smart black pants that were just a fraction too tight. Rosalie was wearing a very tight red dress that emphasised her curves and many of the guys gave her lingering looks, even though everyone knew she was with Emmett. I didn't manage to actually speak to him alone for another hour or so, and then it was only a brief exchange when he found me in the kitchen collecting more bottles of soda to replenish the dwindling supply. Many people had brought their own drinks, mostly beer acquired by older brothers and sisters, but I hadn't tried any and I hadn't seen Emmett drinking either.

Around midnight, Jasper and Alice became conspicuous by their absence and not long after I noticed Jake and Bella slipping away upstairs. I had left my own room locked to prevent some random couple making use of it and I planned to wait until everyone had either left or gone to sleep somewhere before I retired. I longed to have Emmett share it with me, but I knew that wasn't going to happen with a houseful of people around us. Everyone expected him to spend the night with Rosalie and the pair of them were making a show of themselves, dancing and smooching, which I'd done my best to ignore, but was beginning to find upsetting. I knew he was only acting, but it still hurt and some time later, I was shocked when they headed upstairs, hand in hand. Suddenly it didn't seem like an act any more and doubt filled me. He had said he was gay - he kissed me and touched me and told me he wanted to be with me when we went to college, but maybe I'd been kidding myself. Maybe he was bisexual and he liked Rose after all. Maybe he didn't want to lose face in front of the other guys.

I had had enough. I excused myself to Jessica, first establishing that she had a cab booked to take her home and then telling her I felt a bit sick and was going to bed. I knew I was responsible for the house and should have stayed up, but I just wanted to hide in my room and wallow in my thoughts. I unlocked my door and slipped into the dark room, wondering unhappily which room Emmett and Rose were in. I didn't even want to think about what they might be doing and I pushed the door closed slowly behind me, but just before I turned the key, the door pushed open toward me.

"Edward?"

"Emmett!"

"Sshh!" he hissed, pushing the door wider and stepping inside quickly before closing and locking it.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you." His large hands touched my face and his lips brushed over mine gently.

"But, I thought..."

"I came upstairs with Rose just to make everyone think...what they're obviously thinking. She's playing a part too. I told you the way things are, Edward, you didn't really think I was gonna sleep with her, did you?"

"I...uh...I don't know...you just seemed...close..." I said miserably.

"After everything that's happened with us? Shit, I'm sorry," he groaned. "I should have told you what I was doing."

"So where does Rose think you are?" I asked, my heart lifting.

"Finding somewhere to sleep where I won't be seen. Can I stay with you?"

"Of course you can." I leaned against him with relief and I wrapped my arms around him. "I'm sorry for thinking...I'm a jerk."

"Never." His lips touched mine again. "I love you, Edward."

I gasped, gazing at him in the darkness in stunned delight. I hadn't expected to hear those words from him, at least not yet, although I'd imagined him saying them. I'd had to bite my tongue a number of times to stop myself telling him how I felt, thinking it was too soon and that we hadn't had enough time to be with each other yet.

"Say something," he said now. "It's not too soon, is it?"

"No," I chuckled. "I love you too."

His arms hugged me tighter and I immediately felt he was hard, his cock straining against the smart pants and bumping my own growing erection. One of his hands slid down my back to my ass and squeezed firmly.

"Can we get in your bed?" he asked. "We never had the chance to get naked properly. I want you...I want...I mean, we don't have to..."

"Maybe we can try...something," I said hesitantly.

"Have you got lube?"

"Yes."

He let go of me and moved away and I went to turn on the small lamp beside the bed. Emmett already had his shirt off and I watched as he unfastened his pants and shoved them and his boxer briefs down together, at the same time toeing off his shoes. He bent to remove his socks and then straightened up, naked and aroused, cock quivering against his belly as he stared back at me. It was my turn and I began to unfasten my shirt with shaky hands, trying to breathe steadily and calm myself down, but I was too excited and nervous. Emmett loved me! He loved me and we were going to move things forward. Maybe we would even have sex.

I shrugged my shirt off and turned my attention to my pants. I had condoms in the drawer with the lube, I thought. If things got that far, I was prepared. Ironic really, to think that I had been the one who was certain I wouldn't lose my virginity at this party and now it seemed a possibility that I would after all, with the one person I imagined would have been the quickest to tease.

Eventually I was naked, my cock sticking out at right angles to my body, nerves and self-consciousness preventing it stiffening fully. I went to the bed and quickly slid beneath the sheet, trying to relax as Emmett joined me and drew me into his arms.

"You're shaking," he murmured. "We don't have to do anything, you know."

"I want to," I said. "I'm okay, I'm just...nervous."

"Me too." His lips slid over mine. "I wanted to take things further for a while, but like I said, I'm worried I'll hurt you. I've been reading some stuff on the net though, so maybe we could try...uh...a finger."

I felt my face flush and tucked my head into his shoulder, stroking my hand over his chest. His lips caressed my cheek and then my ear. One large hand glided lightly up and down my spine and I shivered against him, his gentle touch and warm kisses as he made his way to my mouth, driving away my anxiety. My cock hardened fully and pushed against his belly and I returned his kisses eagerly, tongues sliding together, my hand slipping between us to lightly rub his erection. He groaned and broke the kiss, gyrating his hips and thrusting himself more firmly into my hand. His fingers trailed over my hip and then down to my thigh, curling behind it and pulling it up so that my leg draped over him. Then his hand moved to my ass, caressing one buttock while the fingertips dipped into my crack, making me tense and shudder. I'd touched myself there many times, even pushing one finger into myself to see how it felt, but having Emmett do it was different. Every inch of my flesh seemed sensitive and when one fingertip brushed over my hole I gasped and arched against him, my cock leaking onto his skin.

"Is this okay?" he whispered, circling the puckered flesh slowly.

"Yeah...uh...feels good," I panted.

"Where's the lube?"

"Um..." I rolled away from him to reach the top drawer in the nightstand, snagging the small bottle and squeezing lube onto his fingers when he held them out to me. I put the bottle down on the bed and slid my hand around his neck, breathing deep and forcing myself to relax as he touched me again, fingers now cool and slick, coating me with the slippery substance and repeatedly stroking back and forth until I was twitching and quivering, longing to feel his finger press into me, but not quite daring to ask for it. Then suddenly the tip of one digit paused, circled again and pushed carefully against me, then a little more firmly until I felt myself open up to take it in.

"Fuck, you're so tight and hot," Emmett whispered. "Fuck, Edward. Is this okay? It doesn't hurt?" He had stopped with only an inch or so of his finger inside me and I shook my head quickly.

"No...keep going..."

He pressed deeper and I struggled to stay relaxed. His finger was thicker than mine and it felt too tight and a little uncomfortable. I concentrated on making my body go limp, resting against him bonelessly as he explored gently, reaching as deep as he could before withdrawing almost to the tip, then pushing back in more firmly.

"Fuck, I could cum just by doing this to you," he groaned. "You feel amazing."

"Mmm..." It was beginning to feel good, I realised. His finger was thrusting in and out of me slowly, the tip occasionally bumping my prostate and making me gasp and shudder. Suddenly I wanted more. I knew it would be uncomfortable at first, but I wanted - _I ____needed_- him to make love to me. "Please, Emmett," I breathed.

"Please, what? You want more?"

"Yes."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm okay."

"Let me know if it hurts and I'll stop."

"Uh huh."

His finger slid almost all the way out of me and when it pushed back it, a second went with it, slowly at first, stretching me. It burned and I breathed out, trying to loosen myself up while my body wanted to fight against the invasion. His cock was never going to fit, I thought worriedly. He was too big.

"We don't have to do this, you know," he said again. "It doesn't matter how long it takes us. I told you I love you..."

"I know, but I want to." I groaned as he tapped my prostate, the burning sensation suddenly fading into the background. "Keep doing that."

"What, this?" His fingertips massaged the small gland and I writhed and shuddered, my cock jerking. Suddenly it was too much. My orgasm had crept up on me unnoticed while I battled with discomfort and new sensations and the knowledge that Emmett loved me and now that the pain had faded, it felt almost too good. I bucked my hips, rubbing my cock against a muscular thigh and almost immediately I came, shooting my load onto his warm skin and biting into his shoulder to suppress my groans.

"Fuck!" Emmett chuckled. "That good, huh?" His fingers were still inside me and he moved them carefully, withdrawing them with an obscene wet sound that made me blush.

"It felt amazing," I panted.

"You think I can make you cum like that with my cock?"

"I might need a minute to recover first," I joked.

"Jerk." His lips touched mine and then he just cuddled me, muscular arms holding me while his frustrated erection repeatedly nudged my stomach, smearing precum onto my skin. I slipped my hand between us to touch it, but Emmett caught my wrist and pulled me off. "Are you sure you want to try this? Sex?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Then don't touch me. I doubt I'll even last a minute as it is. You're so fucking tight."

I laughed softly. I was still nervous, but not so much. I expected discomfort, but I knew it faded and I wanted this so badly. I knew Emmett would be careful, take his time and try to make sure I enjoyed it and I wanted so much to please him. I never imagined I would be this lucky - that the boy I had dreamed about for two years wanted me just as much. I reached out to the nightstand again and found a condom, passing the small packet to Emmett. I idly stroked myself back to life as I watched him rip open the square of foil and fumble with the rubber, awkwardly rolling it onto himself as if he'd never done it before. I had at least practised putting them on myself, just so that I would know for the future that I could put them on someone else if required. I couldn't help smirking now and Emmett grimaced at me.

"Don't laugh, I've never done this before."

"I'll do it for you next time," I said smugly. "I've practised."

"Shut up. Pass me the lube."

"Nuh uh." I picked up the bottle and poured a liberal amount into my own hand, then slowly coated his rubber-clad shaft in it, covering every inch until he was dripping and cursing me for teasing him.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked then, sitting up.

"I'm not sure. On my back?"

We changed position, suddenly awkward and rather more clinical than romantic as I turned onto my back, spread my legs and pulled my knees up, feeling embarrassingly exposed as Emmett knelt between them and looked down at me. He shuffled closer and then picked up the lube again, dribbling some directly onto the area around my hole and smearing it around with one finger. He wiped his hand on the sheet and lifted my legs up, pushing them back to give himself easier access and I tucked my hands behind my knees to hold them there, almost closing my eyes, too shy to meet his. My cheeks burned as I knew where he was looking.

"Edward, relax," Emmett murmured and I looked up at his face quickly as he leaned over me. He looked as anxious as I felt and I let out the breath I didn't realise I'd been holding and felt myself relax. Emmett gripped the base of his cock firmly in his right hand and I watched as he lined himself up. The tip brushed over my hole, making me shiver and clench and then force myself to loosen up again. He pushed against me, impossibly big, straining to enter and then slipping away from me, his shaft sliding along my crack.

"Fuck, sorry," he grunted, flushing and laughing at the same time. He was as nervous as I was and I felt a little better.

"It's okay. Try again." I breathed out, holding myself still, my eyes fixed on his cock as he tried to press into me again and missed a second time, cursing under his breath as he jabbed me in the balls, making me grunt in surprise. He moved his knees again, gripping himself more firmly as he aimed himself and this time I felt myself open for him. The head of his cock slipped in, forcing its way past the tight muscle before he held still and I realised I'd let out a yelp of pain.

"Shall I stop?"

"No...I'm okay...give me a minute."

He didn't move, except for the quivering of his thighs as he held himself above me and the pain lessened to a dull burn. I nodded slightly and he eased forward, an inch at a time, pausing every so often and pulling back before moving forward again. Gradually he filled me, his thick shaft stretching me, the discomfort causing my cock to soften and flop against my belly. I cursed it silently, worried Emmett would think I wasn't enjoying it. He was in all the way now, his balls against my ass, thighs flush with mine. I let go of my legs and allowed them to rest against him and he stayed still, stroking his hands gently over my body and leaning down to kiss me.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too." I groaned softly as his fingers stroked between my legs, touching the place where he was buried within me, caressing my balls, teasing the base of my cock until it began to grow again. His body was trembling, his cock twitching inside me and it was clear he was desperate to start moving again, but he concentrated on giving me pleasure, his hand gripping me more firmly now, pumping me until all I could think about was how good it felt and how much I needed to cum. I squirmed against him, trying to push myself harder onto him in the awkward position and he released my cock, resting both hands on the bed either side of me.

"Make yourself cum," he said and slowly began to withdraw his cock about halfway, then pushed back in again.

"Ohhh...fuck," I gasped as he grazed my prostate, filling me again, balls bumping lightly against me. I curled my hand around my erection and began to jerk off, trying to stroke myself in time to Emmett's thrusts. I panted encouragement, bucking against him as best I could until he was pulling back further, plunging deeper, his movements jerky and erratic as he struggled not to cum too fast. I raised my eyes to his at last, delighting in the look of pleasure on his face, eyes dark with desire as he shoved himself into me one final time. I felt his cock pulsing inside the condom and I pumped myself faster, just a few seconds before I spilled over my fist.

Emmett sat back on his haunches, gripped the condom and pulled out slowly. I wiped my hand and he disposed of the rubber, then lay down beside me and slid his arms around me.

"Was it okay?" he asked.

"More than okay."

"I hurt you."

"Not much. It burned a little at the beginning, that's all."

"We'll just have to do it more often, then, until you get used to it," he smirked.

"I would love to. We don't get much time alone though," I sighed.

"Only because none of the others know. Maybe...I don't know, you said you were gonna tell Jasper. If they knew, it wouldn't seem weird if we saw each other without them."

"You want to tell them?" I said in surprise.

"I don't know. I only said maybe. But I love you, Edward, and I don't want to sneak around forever. Certainly not for three months until we go to college."

"Okay," I agreed at once. "I don't mind telling them. At least if they don't like it, we've got each other."

"I'm pretty sure Jasp will be cool." Emmett broke off with a yawn. "We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Okay," I said again. I realised I was tired too and I reached out to turn the lamp off, then nestled back into his arms. I felt a little bruised and sore, but too happy to care. I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to take me, lulled by Emmett's soft snores as he drifted away.

When I woke the next morning, I was alone. I was disappointed not to be waking with Emmett, but I knew he couldn't be seen sneaking out of my room by any of the others. I got up quickly, showered and dressed and then cautiously opened my door. I could hear voices in various rooms and downstairs and wondered exactly how many people had stayed over.

As I made my way downstairs, several people stumbled outside to waiting cabs or parents and I went into the kitchen to get coffee, finding Jasper and Alice in there looking just as loved up as they had the night before.

"Good night?" I asked.

Both of them grinned and Alice blushed, but neither actually said anything. Jasper sipped his coffee and then looked at me with a frown.

"How was your night?"

"It was...okay," I said carefully.

"You look pretty stoked about something."

I was saved from answering by Jake and Bella coming into the room and then Paul a moment later. He explained that Rachel had gone home in a cab, but he had stayed, not wanting to face his father after he'd had too many beers.

"So, we all know I failed the mission," he said with a grimace. "What about you guys?"

"Uh..." Jasper began, apparently not wanting to boast in Alice's presence.

"You guys seem to think you were the only ones on a mission," Bella said. "Have you never considered that we might have been taking bets on whether we could bed one of you?"

"You're kidding, right?" Jake's mouth dropped open.

"Of course I'm kidding, but we're not stupid," she answered. "None of you would have gotten anywhere if we hadn't actually wanted to get rid of our cherries before college."

Jasper flushed at this and Alice elbowed him, then looked at me. "What about you, Edward? I know you and Jess are only friends and she went home."

"Anyone seen Emmett?" Paul asked before I could answer. "Wonder if he had his way with Rose."

I felt myself redden and I looked at the floor, wondering what, if anything, I should say.

"No, I didn't have my way with Rose." Emmett's voice came from the doorway behind me and my heart lurched.

"Well, you look like you had fun with someone," Jasper grinned. "Come on, who is she? Bet Rose is ready to claw her eyes out."

"Rose and me are just...friends," Emmett said.

"So you didn't? Even Edward beat you, Em," Jake snorted.

"What did you say?" Emmett aimed at me.

"Nothing," I mumbled, immediately aware that everyone else was looking at me. Shit. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Emmett probably thought I'd said something...hinted that...he'd probably hate it, even though he'd suggested telling them. I licked my lips nervously.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked. He glanced from me to Emmett and back again. "What am I missing?"

"Oh, fuck it," Emmett muttered, moving to my side. "You're all gonna find out sooner or later." He looked at me anxiously as if he had suddenly considered that I might not want it to come out like this and I nodded quickly. At least it would be over. "Me and Edward are together," he finished.

"What the fuck?" Jake and Paul exclaimed.

"Well, that certainly explains a lot," Alice said with a knowing look.

"Edward?" Jasper's eyes met mine.

"Yeah, it's true. It's been about a month," I admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me? We tell each other everything."

"I'm sorry, Jas. I was going to tell you I'm gay after the party. I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it. I...I didn't want to lose your friendship."

"That's not going to happen, Ed, you idiot," he said at once. "You're my best friend. I just wish you'd told me before, that's all. So...you and Emmett?" He glanced at Emmett. "That's kind of a shock."

"Huh," Emmett grunted, flushing.

"So...what we all want to know is...did you two fail the contest or not?" Jake asked.

"I'm not sure I want to know," said Paul.

"Only because that would make you the only loser," Jasper grinned.

"Come on, guys, spill, you all know about us," Alice pressed. "Judging by the colour of your faces, I'd say there's only one cherry left in the room - ___Paul!"_

"Fuck off," muttered Paul.

"Well, that's for us to know," Emmett grinned, surprising me further by sliding his arm around me. I beamed happily, relieved that no one in the room appeared horrified by the revelation that Emmett and I were together. It looked as if we would be able to enjoy the rest of the summer with each other and our friends. Then when we went to college, we could still spend the weekends together. For me, it was a dream come true.


End file.
